From the Bookshelf of Should have read classics…

East of Eden

John Steinbeck

Start date: October 1, 2012

Finish date: October 31, 2012

Discussion: Group Book Discussions

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What Members Thought

Feb 12, 2020 Melissa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-most-beloved

I've always had an interest in the story of Cain and Abel, and had long ago concluded that it's a folktale or allegory about the early clash between the traditional sheep herders and the northern farmers in the battle for the fertile crescent, or possibly as far back as the clash between the hunter gatherers and the rising agricultural civilizations. But Mr Steinbeck's story has made me pause and think, just as Lee's interpretation made Adam and Samuel Hamilton stop and think.

I love Lee. I love I've always had an interest in the story of Cain and Abel, and had long ago concluded that it's a folktale or allegory about the early clash between the traditional sheep herders and the northern farmers in the battle for the fertile crescent, or possibly as far back as the clash between the hunter gatherers and the rising agricultural civilizations. But Mr Steinbeck's story has made me pause and think, just as Lee's interpretation made Adam and Samuel Hamilton stop and think.

I love Lee. I love how philosophical he is and how he loves and cares for the Trask family, "his family". Oh, what I would have given to live in that Salinas Valley town with the Trasks, Lee, and the Hamiltons. Samuel, Lee, and I would have been the best of friends - Inventions, philosophy, and farming, oh my!

This multi-generational story profoundly illustrates the battle of nature vs nurture.

Highly recommended.

Update: As I often do, I watched the 1955 film adaptation of East of Eden upon finishing the book. As usual, the book is far better than the film - in this case 1,000,000 times better. I guess if someone had not read the book, they could be persuaded to accept lessons and philosophies delivered by the sheriff, Adam, and Abra, as their own thoughts. I also guess the completely botched story line of Aron and Cal would have seemed believable as "the good son" going dark, and "the dark son" going good.....instead of the intended message of choice.... They did a poor job of portraying Aron as angelic, and actually made him seem the more demented of the two. They leave out his religious fervor which is what drove the wedge between he and Abra and caused the sudden shock of meeting his demonic mother. They might also not see a problem with "too nice" Adam acting like as ass for most of the movie, or "evil, murderess mother", Cathy seeming so pitiable and a big loose-end at the end of the film. Or they may have assumed the German-Immigrant was in the book, and that Adam actually raised the boys himself....instead of being a weak pile of "too good" fluff held together by Lee.

The worst part of the movie is they left out the most central character - the Chinese-American, Lee - who raised the boys and was the philosopher who tied all themes in the book together. They also left out all mention of Uncle Charles, and Sam Hamilton.

But, all that said, Abra is a more developed character in the film, and it is still well-worth watching adorable James Dean for 2 hours and trying to let the rest go.

One other issue. Steinbeck delivers some pretty small-minded comments from the day about lazy Indians, and pidgin-talking Chinese, among others, but given the time frame of its writing, I let those slide with an eye roll. But, sadly, in the 1955 movie adaptation, Abra delivered some pretty offensive comments about the Mexican girls who followed Cal around...that was not Steinbeck, but the 1955 film adapters, and the complete exclusion of Lee bares an ugly shadow of its own. Sigh. Hopefully.... the new remake will be a little less offensive to non-whites in 2020.

But read the book instead, or at least first! ...more

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